The two arrived at the cafeteria, and Qiao Shuangyi, upon seeing the groups of new students here and there, immediately cheered up, "Hahaha, looks like it's not just me who's unlucky. Look at that chick over there, the skinny and tall one—she's Shangguan Yuqing from the Shangguan Family. And the one sitting alone in that corner, yes, yes, that's right, the one who looks like everyone owes her a night of virginity—she's Shang Qingye from the Shang Clan."

This convinced Chen Gu even more that the Huai Shan Branch School wasn't as simple as Qiao Shuangyi had described. Establishing such a school and placing it under the renowned Tiangong Military Division must have significant implications.

Qiao Shuangyi seemed to be quite afraid of these two girls, both from elite families, and dragged Chen Gu toward the food stalls. "Come on, let's eat—I'm treating. Don't you dare be polite with me."

As soon as Chen Gu heard "eat," the vestiges of Isabella Wu's influence within his Soul immediately took effect, his eyes lighting up as he looked toward the neat rows of food stalls.

Once he looked, he couldn't take his eyes away.

He had to admit, Qiao Shuangyi wasn't lying—the food here was genuinely outstanding.

All of it consisted of very rare ingredients. Each dish, staple food, dessert, and fruit was clearly labeled with its place of origin and the career it was most suited for. Moreover, they were prepared using the most advanced cooking methods, maximizing the benefits of these foods.

But when Chen Gu saw the prices, he almost choked. The cheapest fruit cost five thousand Starshields apiece! This was nearly the monthly salary of an average wage earner in this era.

The expensive foods cost hundreds of thousands of Starshields per serving! There was even one stall that was cold and deserted, with no food inside, just a projection of a list naming various delicacies followed by prices and the "preparation time" they required. This was a custom-order stall, the highest-grade in the whole cafeteria. The cheapest dish started at one million six hundred thousand Starshields, and the most expensive soared to twelve million!

Chen Gu inwardly sighed, The rich feast while the poor starve...

Chen Gu now had a fortune of several hundred million Starshields, but even for him, a meal in this cafeteria would be painful to pay for.

His attitude toward Qiao Shuangyi immediately improved considerably, and he smiled as warmly as a spring breeze. "Are you really treating?"

Qiao Shuangyi swept his arm grandly. "Don't worry, these prices are nothing to our Qiao Family. No need for politeness with me. Not just one meal—even if I have to treat you every day, it's no problem!"

Chen Gu demurred, "How could I accept that? My family is indeed quite poor, owning only Chen's Biotech, and it isn't even in my name, sigh..."

Qiao Shuangyi recalled for a moment. Chen's Biotech? Seems like a small company that produces pharmaceuticals. No wonder he looked a bit dejected by the cafeteria prices. Their entire family fortune is only a few tens of billions; they really are poor.

"Rest assured!" Qiao Shuangyi declared boldly. "When I say I'm treating, I'm treating! If you don't eat, it means you look down on me! From now on, I'll cover all your meals at school."

"Well..." Chen Gu made a show of reluctance but then readily agreed. "Since Young Master Qiao has said so, if I don't accept, it would be disrespectful. Alright, from now on, I'll depend on you."

"Hahaha!" Qiao Shuangyi laughed heartily, pulling Chen Gu to pick out food.

Half an hour later, Qiao Shuangyi's eyes were somewhat glassy. What happened? Why is my account over seven million Starshields short? The thing is, I only had a risotto that cost 160,000 Starshields!

Chen Gu, who was sitting across from him, stood up and headed toward the food stalls again. Qiao Shuangyi snapped back to reality in alarm. "Huh? Wh-where are you going?"

Chen Gu didn't look back. "I'm still not full. I'm going to get some more."

Similar exchanges had already occurred between them seven or eight times in the past half hour. Chen Gu ate with astonishing speed. More importantly, he was like a bottomless pit. Qiao Shuangyi even suspected that Chen Gu might not be full even if he devoured the entire cafeteria!

As it happened, Chen Gu hadn't picked any particularly expensive dishes; all were below the average price. If he had actually chosen the expensive items, my monthly allowance wouldn't have been enough... Qiao Shuangyi thought.

But Qiao Shuangyi had already made his boast. If he went back on his word now... What am I going to do during the upcoming freshman military training?

Qiao Shuangyi gritted his teeth. My life is more important! He braced himself and went to pay the bill again.

Chen Gu asked considerately, "Oh dear, did I eat too much?"

Qiao Shuangyi's heart was bleeding, but he forced a smile. "Not at all, not at all. The experts in my family can really eat. I've seen my share of big eaters, so you don't need to worry..."

Chen Gu gave a thumbs up. "Young Master Qiao is indeed generous!"

An hour later, as the cafeteria was about to close, Chen Gu still wasn't full. Qiao Shuangyi's monthly allowance was nearly depleted. He was on the verge of tears, remembering his apparent promise to cover Chen Gu's future meals, which filled him with an even deeper fear. What on earth have I done!

Just then, his phone suddenly rang. It was his cousin.

"Hello?" Qiao Shuangyi answered weakly.

Qiao Shuangmu said, "I remembered something. Although it's just a rumor, I thought I should still remind you: they say Chen Gu can eat an incredible amount. Whatever you do, don't treat him to a meal. I know the prices at the Huai Shan Branch School cafeteria."

There was no response from the other end for a long moment, so Qiao Shuangmu asked, "Hello?"

Qiao Shuangyi replied weakly, "Got it."

Qiao Shuangmu hummed in acknowledgment. "Alright, just wanted to give you a heads-up. I'll hang up if there's nothing else."

"Brother—" Qiao Shuangyi's voice was tinged with a sob. "I need to borrow money—"

Qiao Shuangmu: "..."

「...」

Chen Gu left the cafeteria completely satisfied, while a devastated Qiao Shuangyi trailed behind him. The financial pain was so acute that he even overlooked the fact that Chen Gu hadn't followed any of the cafeteria's dietary recommendations; he ate a wide variety of dishes, getting a portion of whatever he fancied, with no restraint whatsoever.

Young Master Qiao is truly generous, Chen Gu sincerely praised Qiao Shuangyi in his heart. How long has it been since I've eaten my fill, especially with food of this quality?

He had a feeling. After this meal, my physical fitness should see a significant improvement, and it will greatly benefit my various professional abilities too.

Back at the dormitory, Chen Gu said sincerely, "Thank you for your generosity today, Young Master Qiao. I wish you a good night!"

Qiao Shuangyi, his face a mask of despair, returned to his room, which he promptly began to trash. Good night? Fat chance! There's no way I'm having a good night tonight!

「The next day.」

All of this year's freshmen at the Huai Shan Branch School had arrived. There were a total of twelve new students: ten admitted through the college entrance examination, and two who looked like they came from ordinary families but had been specially admitted.

The standards for special admission... Chen Gu didn't know either. However, there was a fellow nearby who considered himself a "know-it-all." While this person only had a superficial understanding of Huai Shan Branch School matters, one could always try to get some information from him.

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